Introduction

Introduction

What do Black women, who have endured the trauma, stigma, and life consequences related to experience with substance use disorder (SUD) and the criminal legal system involvement (CLSI) need from research, recovery, and treatment systems, the broader health system, and society? The recommendations from the Black Women Consulting to Advance Addiction Research and Engagement (Black Women CARE) project lay an essential foundation to answering these questions.

This project identifies barriers to research involvement that this community experiences, as expressed by members of this group themselves. It offers recommendations to researchers on how to engage Black women with lived experience in the development and execution of research studies.

Black Faces Black Voices organizational logo and Community Catalyst logo
“I’ve never been invited to the table. They just get together and come up with their own plan without asking for our input.”
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Texas
Our Approach

Our Approach

Guided by a team of five recovery leaders — Black women with lived experience of substance use disorder (SUD) and criminal legal system involvement (CLSI) — women from five states (Georgia, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas) with this same lived experience were compensated to participate in discussions and focus groups. 

To ensure a diversity of thought and response, focus groups were made up of Black women from differing backgrounds, bringing a range of understanding and intersectionality. Our call for participation invited self-identified Black women with self-identified experience with substance misuse and the legal system. The resulting cohort included Black women of mixed races, ages, and gender identities.

A person wearing geometric glasses sits in a home office next to framed photos and a closet door. She is in the middle of speaking and is wearing burgundy lipstick with earrings and a purple top.
What do Black women, who have endured the trauma, stigma, and life consequences related to experience with substance use disorder (SUD) and the criminal legal system involvement (CLSI) need from research, recovery, and treatment systems, the broader health system, and society? In this video, researchers explore key challenges Black women in recovery face engaging with research and how researchers can better involve Black women when developing studies.
Recommendations

Recommendations

Based on the focus groups, the Black Women CARE project recommends that researchers: 

  1. Intentionally engage Black women with lived experience
  2. Build relationships and build trust
  3. Follow trauma-informed engagement approaches
  4. Equate lived experience with expertise
  5. Follow up with research participants afterwards
  6. Compensate research participants for their time and expertise 
  7. Study what matters to community members
Authors and Acknowledgements
Read the Report (PDF)

Authors and Acknowledgements

Authors

Sandra Benton

Angela Burton

India Hayes-Larrier

Laurie Johnson-Wade

Annie Powell

Phil Rutherford

Angelia Smith-Wilson

Tarusa Stewart

Cassandra Williams-Richards 

Acknowledgements

Black Women CARE is funded through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®) Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award Engagement Award (EACB-24745).